A Bountiful Harvest: The Midwestern Farm Photographs of Pete Wettach, 1925-1965 (Bur Oak Book)

Rating:
Summary: Poignant Nostalgia
Review: It helps to have been on an Iowa farm, I realize, but I found this book amazingly evocative. The pictures do it--the text is not by a person with an Iowa farm background, and, I am sorry to say, it shows. For instance on page 79 she talks of tying bales by hand. Maybe some people did such but I never heard of it--if one had no baler the hay was put up loose into a haymow, though I suppose there may have been balers which did not tie the bales even as in the far distant past there were binders which did not tie the bundles. Her discussion on threshing overlooks entirely a great tradition in I think most threshing rings: the afternoon lunch and often also the morning lunch. Minced ham sandwiches or hot dogs never tasted so good! But you cannot quarrel with what the pictures actually show, whether they correspond with one's own experience or not we know thay are authentic and effectively recall a time now gone. Do yourself a favor and get this book. You will savor it.

Rating:
Summary: Poignant Nostalgia
Review: It helps to have been on an Iowa farm, I realize, but I found this book amazingly evocative. The pictures do it--the text is not by a person with an Iowa farm background, and, I am sorry to say, it shows. For instance on page 79 she talks of tying bales by hand. Maybe some people did such but I never heard of it--if one had no baler the hay was put up loose into a haymow, though I suppose there may have been balers which did not tie the bales even as in the far distant past there were binders which did not tie the bundles. Her discussion on threshing overlooks entirely a great tradition in I think most threshing rings: the afternoon lunch and often also the morning lunch. Minced ham sandwiches or hot dogs never tasted so good! But you cannot quarrel with what the pictures actually show, whether they correspond with one's own experience or not we know thay are authentic and effectively recall a time now gone. Do yourself a favor and get this book. You will savor it.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This is a beautiful, beautiful book. The photographs are amazing and honest and the book is attractively put together (though I did not read the text.. was too taken in by the photographs). I bought this originally for myself, but when I showed it to my grandparents (who were farmers themselves during this era) they fell in love with it and I had to give it to them. I'm back to buy another copy for myself. Highly, highly recommended!